Custom-designed control system to prevent back feeding on downtown network

System Overview:

This project was a complete redesign of a an inadequate & outdated design. Photonworks Engineering was able to modernize the design using the latest high efficiency solar modules and inverters to increase the original output by 247% within the same space as originally proposed. The PV system helped the project achieve LEED silver status and help NAVFAC achieve its renewable energy goals.

Custom-designed control system to prevent back feeding on downtown network

System Overview:

The 149.76kW installation consists of 576 fixed tilt SolarWorld 260W Modules mounted on a cantilevered carport on the top level of the parking garage structure. The system is sized to produce 200MWh per year, which will provide electricity for a church, day school, coffee shop, homeless resource center, and off-site classes for our local community college. At the time of commissioning, this project was the largest solar installation in downtown Austin.

Unique attributes:

In the past, a project of this size was too risky in downtown Austin. Downtown networks have been set up to only allow electricity to flow in, creating better protection for densely populated areas. An initial concern of the project was that on the days when more solar energy was generated than needed, the excess would try and pump back into the grid causing significant problems. With this project in mind, Meridian Solar helped create a sophisticated control system that permits the solar array to be connected to the utility’s electrical service, all while prohibiting the excess generation from back feeding into the downtown network.

The control system will include one inverter and an AC utility disconnect to isolate the system from the utility grid. A minimum import relay will be installed to prevent back feed of solar photovoltaic energy to the network protectors owned by Austin Energy. In addition, a dynamic control system will be used to adjust inverter output levels to follow the customer load without back feeding photovoltaic energy to the network protectors owned by Austin Energy. Settings for the network protectors, the minimum import relay, and the dynamic controller will be adjusted and evaluated under a pilot program being conducted by Austin Energy.

From the customer:

“Through our solar energy project, we are fulfilling God’s call to be stewards of creation. In addition, as we save significant money on our utility costs, those resources enable us to fulfill other aspects of the Gospel as we care for those in the Austin community, including our homeless brothers and sisters and local service agencies.”
- St. David’s Rector, the Rev. David Boyd

“This achievement is the latest chapter in St. Davids’ long history of contributions of the Austin community.” By helping resolve difficult issues related to our electric grid, St. David’s has moved us closer to our goals for local solar generation, and has demonstrated once again the value of its longtime partnership with the City."
- Austin City Council Member Chris Riley

“We had a window of opportunity that opened with a newly created pilot program by Austin Energy, federal rebates, low interest rates, and the advancement of technology. Everything came together so well with the help of Austin Energy and Meridian Solar, we were finally able to carry it out”.
- St. David’s Parish Administrator Terry Nathan

Burke employees enjoying a productive meeting under their new solar electric pavilion

Burke electric vehicle charging stations under solar electric canopy

Burke Solar Pavilion & Solar Canopy

Cincinnati, OH
Custom pavilion and canopy structure

Completed December 20, 2013
Installed by Dovetail Solar and Wind

System details - Burke parking canopy:

368.73 kW

1,505 solar panels

245 W poly Sunmodule™ solar panels

1 PVPowered 260 kW Inverter and 1 PVPowered 100 kW inverter

Custom-designed and fabricated canopy structure

System details - Burke solar pavilion:

12.25 kW

50 solar panels

245 W poly Sunmodule™ solar panels

Custom-designed and fabricated pavilion structure

System Overview:

Burke’s solar electric solar parking canopies and solar pavilion allows Burke to generate thousands of kilowatt hours of clean, renewable electric over the life of the system. Burke’s renewable energy investment was constructed using 1,505 American-made SolarWorld 245 watt polycrystalline solar modules mounted on five large raised solar canopies and 50 SolarWorld 245 watt polycrystalline solar modules mounted on a custom designed solar pavilion structure. The solar modules on the parking canopies feed two PVP Powered inverters that convert the DC solar generated electricity to AC electricity for general use on Burke’s campus. Monitoring is by Locus Energy. The electric car charging stations were manufactured by Eaton.

This is the largest solar electric system in downtown Cincinnati and the only solar parking canopy system in downtown Cincinnati when installed.

Unique attributes:

The system features a gently curved design to match the existing aesthetics present on Burke’s LEED Gold seven acre campus in downtown Cincinnati. Not only does this unique solar installation generate approximately 30% of Burke’s electrical generation requirements, but it also shades the employees’ cars year round. Burke employees that own electric cars appreciate the free on-site EV charging stations. Burke employees use the solar pavilion for break times, lunches, company gatherings, and team meetings.

From the customer:

“Our new solar canopy installations have generated employee excitement, given us an edge in recruiting, and impresses clients,” said Mary Beth Mapstone, CPA, Senior Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services for Burke. “This is priceless!”

Solar panels and grapes soak up the sun side-by-side

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Paso Robles,
California

Ground mounted solar array at the Cass winery

Cass Winery solar panels

Cass Winery

Cass Winery

Paso Robles, CA
Ground mount installation

Completed 2009
Installed by Pacific Energy Company

System Details:

58 kW

252 solar panels

230 W mono Sunmodule™ solar panel

System Overview:

Cass Vineyards and Winery is located in the rolling, oak-studded hills between Paso Robles and Creston on California's beautiful Central Coast

The winery and tasting room’s energy needs are completely met by this system, sending excess electricity back to the local community

The beautiful design integrates the solar system within the rows of grapes

Orange County Convention Center

“I’m pleased to write this product recommendation for SolarWorld SW-175 monocrystalline modules. These modules were installed last year as part of a highly-visible project at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC). The project was awarded a $2.5M state grant, involved several state and local government partners, and had a total value in excess of $8M. This project features a one-megawatt rooftop photovoltaic system which is the largest of its type in the Southeast United States.

Johnson Controls, Inc. was awarded a design/build contract by Orange County for a project called the Solar Photovoltaic Demonstration Facility and Climate Change Education Center. Essentially, the scope of the project was to install a one-megawatt PV system, four smaller “demonstration” PV systems, and to build-out an education center. The one-megawatt system used 5,808 SW-175’s and two of the smaller systems used an additional 124 of the same modules.

As you may be aware, SolarWorld modules are recognized in the industry as being high quality and highly reliable. Based on our experience thus far, we certainly agree. OCCC has also been impressed by the electrical output of our one-megawatt system. Energy production during the first 12 months of operation exceeded projections by 18.4%. Further information about the OCCC Solar Project, including live energy production and environmental data can be found at www.occc.net/community/solar_project.asp” – Jerry Daigle, Deputy General Manager, OCCC - June 28, 2010

America's largest publicly accessible solar installation

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Cincinnati,
Ohio

Cincinnati Zoo solar carports

Cars parked under the Cincinnati Zoo solar panels

Aerial view Cincinnati Zoo solar canopies

Family under the slar canopy

Arial view of solar panels at the Cincinnati Zoo

Cincinnati Zoo

Cincinnati, OH
Parking lot canopy installation

Completed 4/20/11
Installed by Melink

System details:

1.6 MW

6,400 solar panels

245 W mono Sunmodule™ solar panel

System overview:

The greenest Zoo in America

The solar canopies provide shade for nearly 800 of the 1,000 spots available at the Zoo’s main entrance.

The solar panels will provide approximately 20% of the Zoo’s energy needs. That’s enough to:

power 200 homes each year

power 55,000 energy efficient CFL bulbs for a year

power your Wii for 95 million hours

Customer testimonial:
"We believe that the combination of size and public accessibility, makes this solar array the most impactful array of any in the entire country," said Mark Fisher, Senior Director of Facilities, Planning, and Sustainability at the Cincinnati Zoo. "No where else has an array of this magnitude been placed in such an urban environment, allowing our visitors, and the general public at large, to be able to see first hand what solar photovoltaic energy is all about. The education potential of this advanced energy project is off the charts."

"As the greenest Zoo in America, there is no better place to showcase this technology and to help the public understand that not only is this technology the right thing to do for our energy future, but it makes absolute financial sense as well," said Thane Maynard, Executive Director of the Cincinnati Zoo.

Largest solar panel installation in Santa Cruz County

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Santa Cruz,
California

Solar carport at Plantronics

Solar carport at Plantronics

Solar carport at Plantronics

Underside of the solar carport at Plantronics

Solar panels on the roof of Plantronics

Plantronics Headquarters

Santa Cruz, CA
Rooftop mounts and carports

Completed 2011
Installed by Barry Swenson Solar

System Details:

608 kW

2,482 solar panels

245 W mono Sunmodule™ solar panels

5 PV Powered inverters

System Overview:

The market leader in unified communications, Plantronics, has installed this 608 kW system at their headquarters in Santa Cruz, CA

This new system plus the existing 265 kW rooftop system will combine to provide about 80% of the buildings energy needs

The carports are curved to add aesthetic appeal and to maximize the system output

SolarWorld solar panels power advanced space and military communications center

SPAWAR (Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command)

Completed 2011
Stronghold Engineering

Roof-mounted installation

System Details:

1.3 MW

5,376 Sunmodule™ solar panels

System Overview:

The Navy’s largest contiguous rooftop solar array sits atop SPAWAR’s headquarters facility, a prominent building bounded by Interstate 5 and Pacific Highway in San Diego’s Old Town district.

The installation, which will feed power into the San Diego grid, is part of military-wide efforts to conserve energy and reduce reliance on fuels, especially from offshore.

In October, the Navy awarded Stronghold, an engineering, procurement and construction contractor based in Riverside, Calif., the Star Award for Safety and an Outstanding Evaluation on the Construction Contractor Appraisal Support System for Stronghold’s work on the SPAWAR system. These honors represent the Navy’s highest recognitions of excellence in construction quality, timeliness and safety. Awarded to only 15 percent of contractors doing business with the Navy, the Star Award is given to companies that demonstrate the most proactive approach to safety during the life of their contracts.

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Solar parking canopy at Palms Marine Camp

Solar panels on parking structure at Palms Marine Camp

Solar powered marine base

Parking canopy installation

Completed 2009
Installed by Wonder Electric

System Details:

470 kW

The largest solar system in a national park

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Yosemite National Park,
California

Rooftop solar system on facilities on office building at Yosemite National Park

Solar canopy over parking lot at Yosemite National Park

Arial view of Yosemite National Park's solar system

SolarWorld solar panels on office building at Yosemite National Park

Roof mount solar system at Yosemite National Park

El Portal Administrative Complex

The system was installed at the El Portal Administrative Complex in the 1,189-square-mile Yosemite park, marking an advance in self-sufficiency and sustainability for the treasured wilderness reserve in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains

Comprised of a 500-kilowatt parking canopy offering cover for center employees and visitors, a 100-kilowatt roof-mount system atop a warehouse, and a 72-kilowatt system on a sloped wall of an office building

The park estimates the solar installation will supply about 12 percent of the park’s total power consumption

Customer Testimonial:

"The combination of harnessing California's abundant sunlight and technology and labor provided by U.S. workers ideally suits this energy advance for Yosemite National Park. Solar panels from SolarWorld, along with the contributions of a number of other U.S.-based service firms and manufacturing enterprises, will maximize the sustainable impact on this effort to not only take care of the park but stretch the planet's resources." - Superintendent Don Neubacher

Cucamonga Valley's water utility goes solar

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Cucamonga,
California

Ground mounted solar panels at the Cucamonga Valley Water District

Ground mount installation

Completed 2006
Installed by SolarWorld

System Details:

225 kW

Philadelphia's water utility goes solar

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Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania

Ground mount installation

Completed 2011
Installed by Dynamic Solar

System Details:

250 kW

Northern California solar power plant, still running over 25 years later